Closure device for sealed packages



Jan. 15, 1963 HAYES 3,073,471

CLOSURE DEVICE FOR SEALED PACKAGES Filed March 17, 1960 rzwsm'on. Pefer' fif Hayes BY J ATTORNE United States Patent 3,073,471 CLOSURE DEVICE FOR SEALED PACKAGES Peter R. Hayes, Richmond, Ind., assignor to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 17, 1960, Ser. No. 15,635 3 Claims. (Cl. 215-46) This invention relates to closure devices and more particularly to closure devices for sealed sterile packages.

Packages for sterile solutions usually include a resilient container sealing member having a diaphragm that can be pierced by a needle, and a protective cover cap at least a portion of which can be torn or cut away to expose the diaphragm for insertion of the needle. Since these sterile solutions frequently are used in emergencies, the manual facility with which the diaphragm can be exposed is of greatest importance. With the cover caps known prior to my invention, the container is held in one hand while the cap is torn or cut with .the other, so that the step of exposing the diaphragm is a two-handed operation which must be completed before the user can take up the needle for insertion or proceed to sterilize the diaphragm prior to inserting the needle, as is usually required, particularly when the cap is of one of the prior art types having openings therethrough defining the portion to be torn away. Moreover, the cutting or tearing of the known cover caps leaves exposed sharp edges which may cut the fingers, and this is particularly hazardous for diabetics who use sterile packages frequently.

It is an object of the invention to provide a sterile package with an improved closure device. It is a more particular object to provide a closure for sterile packages characterized by greater facility in exposing the diaphragm than is afforded by the devices known in the art. Still more particularly, it is an object to provide a cover cap with means to remove a portion thereof with the hand that holds the container leaving the other hand free for use of the package in a single swift and easy manipulation. It is a further object to provide for such removal of part of the cap and exposure of the diaphragm with out leaving exposed sharp edges to cut the fingers.

These and other objects and the advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view taken diametrically of a closure cap made according to my invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken in the region of the base of the central embossment shown in FIG. 1; and

FIGv 3 is an elevational view partially in cross section showing a sealed package embodying the closure of FIG. 1.

The container of a sealed package according to my invention may be of any conventional type and the resilient sealing member 11 may be of any type having a pierceable diaphragm 12.

The closure cap is made of any suitable material, such as metal and comprises a top 13 and a depending skirt 14 and a central embossment 15 which, in the form shown, has a flat top 16. The material of the cap immediately surrounding the embossment is weakened on the line 17. In the preferred form, the portion of the top 13 between the skirt and the embossment is substantially flat, except 3,073,471 Patented Jan. 15, 1953 ice for any embossed design that may be desired for decoration or identification, and the line of weakening is at the inner margin of this portion. The depending skirt 14 of the cap is straight, as shown in FIG. 1, and upon application to the container 10 its lower edge is turned beneath a shoulder 18 thereon as shown in FIG. 3. When so applied, the central embossment overlies the diaphragm 12. In practice, the closure cap may be supplied separately or in combination with the resilient sealing member, as required by the packager.

In using the sealed package, downward pressure upon the central embossment, applied with the thumb of the hand holding the package, will cause the material of the cap to fracture at the weakened line. The embossment is thus severed from the top and will fall away, or can be removed by the same thumb to expose the diaphragm. Since the embossment must be completely removed to expose the diaphragm, the weakened line must be substantially continuous, and while the resilient sealing member gives support beneath the weakened line to minimize the possibility of accidental fracture prior to use, it yields sufiiciently to assure fracture upon the application of thumb pressure. The facility of this procedure, leaving one of the users hands free for other manipulations incidental to the use of sterile packages, as compared to those requiring two hands for uncovering the diaphragm, will be obvious.

Modifications of the cover cap construction contemplated within the scope of my invention include those in which the skirt is secured to the container by known means other than reforming its edge under a shoulder as shown and those in which the top of the cap has a double or stepped embossment to accommodate a particular form of sealing member, which might be provided to achieve distinction in design or to meet any other purpose related to the packagers requirements and suitable to the use of the sealed package. These and other modi fications embodying, my invention to facilitate the exposure of the diaphragm area ofi the sealing member and the use of a sealed package for its intended purpose are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A closure device comprising a cap and a resilient sealing member therewithin, said cap comprising an imperforate top and a depending skirt, said top including an upwardly extending vertical walled central embossment and a substantially flat portion immediately around the central embossment and extending to the skirt, the material of the cap being weakened on a continuous line at the inner margin of the fiat portion, and said sealing member having a portion resiliently supporting the top at said weakened line and a central pierceable diaphragm.

2. A sealed package comprising a container for sterile contents and a closure device comprising a cap and a resilient sealing member therewithin, said cap comprising an imperforate top and a depending skirt, said top including an upwardly extending vertical Walled embossment, the material of the cap being weakened on a continuous line immediately around the embossment, and said resilient sealing member having a portion in resilient supporting contact with the top at said weakened line and a pierceable diaphragm beneath the embossment.

3. A sealed package comprising a container for sterile contents and a closure device comprising a cap and a resilient sealing member therewithin, said cap comprising an imperforate top and 21 depending skirt, said top including an upwardly extending vertical Walled central embossment and a substantially flat portion immediately around the central embossment, the material of the cap 5 being weakened on a line extending entirely around the embossment at the inner margin of the flat portion, and said resilient sealing member having a portion in resilient supporting contact with the top at said weakened line 3 9 and a central, pierceable diaphragm, whereby the em- 10 2,789,

bossment can be removed by severance at the weakened line to expose the diaphragm by pressure of the thumb of the hand holding the package.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Westerbeck May 28, 1929 Tilson Oct. 30, 1945 Bowmann Apr. 23,-1957 

1. A CLOSURE DEVICE COMPRISING A CAP AND A RESILIENT SEALING MEMBER THEREWITHIN, SAID CAP COMPRISING AN IMPERFORATE TOP AND A DEPENDING SKIRT, SAID TOP INCLUDING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING VERTICAL WALLED CENTRAL EMBOSSMENT AND A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT PORTION IMMEDIATELY AROUND THE CENTRAL EMBOSSMENT AND EXTENDING TO THE SKIRT, THE MATERIAL OF THE CAP BEING WEAKENED ON A CONTINOUS LINE AT THE INNER MARGIN OF THE FLAT PORTION, AND SAID SEALING MEMBER HAVING A PORTION RESILIENTLY SUPPORTING THE TOP AT SAID WEAKENED LINE AND A CENTRAL PIERCEABLE DIAPHRAGM. 